2024 Quincy Notre Dame Hall of Fame inductee: T.J. Kistner

Editor’s Note: Quincy Notre Dame will hold its Hall of Fame induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games of the 2024 QND Tip-Off Tourney at The Pit. Below is the biography used by the QND Hall of Fame committee to honor one of this year’s inductees.

QUINCY — T.J. Kistner completed a rare trifecta his senior year.

As a starting defensive back and wide receiver, Kistner helped the QND football team reach the playoffs. As a point guard, he led the boys basketball team to a third-place finish at the Class A state tournament. As a third baseman and lead-off hitter, he guided the Raiders to a Class A state runner-up finish in baseball.

Kistner was a first-team all-area defensive back and an honorable mention wide receiver, ranking among area leaders with four interceptions and registering 21 tackles. He also caught 18 passes for 377 yards and one touchdown. His 20.9 yards-per-catch average ranked second in West-Central Illinois.

On the hardwood, he led the Raiders with 88 assists and averaged three points per game. In the state quarterfinals against Pana, Kistner scored 12 points, going 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. He also had 10 points in the third-place game against Peoria Christian.

But his best sport was baseball.

As a junior, Kistner was forced to be the Raiders’ No. 1 starter due to injury and responded by going 5-2 with a 0.85 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. He also led the Raiders with a .389 average, 33 runs scored and 10 doubles.

As a senior, Kistner moved from center field to third base to shore up the Raiders’ defense, all the while remaining a spark plug offensively in the leadoff spot. He finished the season hitting .426 with 34 walks, 64 runs scored and 21 extra-base hits while earning first-team all-area honors. He also went 16 for 16 in stolen bases.

He went on to become a three-year starter in the outfield at Western Illinois University, being named to the Mid-Continent Conference all-tournament team in 2005 and a second-team all-conference selection in 2006. As a senior in 2007, he led the Leathernecks in walks and triples.